Overview
Infuse features a native integrations for Plex, Emby, and Jellyfin that allows you to use Infuse to access and play videos which are stored in these servers.
Supported Features
- Access to video libraries
- Fetching of metadata and artwork
- Sync watched history and playback progress
- Sync ratings
- Access On Deck and In-progress lists
- Remote streaming
- Play Version (coming soon for Emby/Jellyfin)
- Collections
- Playlists
Direct Mode vs Library Mode
Infuse allows connecting to media servers in two ways, Direct Mode and Library Mode.
When connecting to a media server like Emby, Jellyfin, or Plex Infuse will always display metadata from the server instead of fetching its own from TMDB. The difference with Direct Mode is this info does not need to be pre-cached and stored in a local library on the device. Everything is fetched on an as-needed basis, on-the-fly. Not only can this help with a quicker set up process so you can start watching your favorite content sooner, it can also help provide faster updates when content is added or removed—especially for those with larger media collections.
With that said, each option has its own strengths and limitations so which mode to choose can vary depending on the situation.
Direct Mode
- Faster updates from server
- Smaller storage footprint on device
- Limited offline browsing
- Ideal for larger libraries
Library Mode
- Combines multiple sources into a single library
- Utilize Infuse library categories and filters
- More robust offline browsing
- Ideal for small or medium libraries
Enable or disable Library Mode under the Advanced tab when adding or editing a media server connection.
Installing InfuseSync is recommended when using Library Mode.
Adding a Media Server Connection (iOS/macOS)
Step 1. Tap the Settings (gear) icon in the lower right corner, and select Add Files.
Step 2. Locate the Media Servers section, and select Add Media Server.
Step 3. Choose the server you would like to connect to, and follow the prompts to connect.
Plex and Emby allow for logins using online accounts. Jellyfin requires a direct server login.
Step 3 (optional). Choose one or more libraries to be added as a Favorite. Doing this will add a direct link to the media server library to the Infuse > Files screen.
Step 4 (optional). By default, Infuse will scan the contents from all your libraries, but you can limit which libraries it scans by unchecking unwanted libraries in Settings > Library.
Step 5. Infuse will automatically start caching info and artwork from your libraries, and store this on your device for quick access. Once this is complete, you will be able to browse your videos using the Library categories on the home screen, search page, or access your favorites directly from the Files screen.
Adding a Media Server Connection (Apple TV)
Step 1. Navigate to Settings > Shares and tap the Add Media Server option.
Step 2. Follow the steps to log into your media server.
Step 3 (optional). Choose one or more libraries to be added as a Favorite. Doing this will add a direct link to the library on the Infuse home screen.
Step 4 (optional). By default, Infuse will scan the contents from all your libraries, but you can limit which libraries it scans by unchecking unwanted libraries in Settings > Library.
Step 5. Infuse will automatically start caching info and artwork from your libraries, and store this info on your device for quick access. Once this is complete, you will be able to browse your videos using the Library categories on the home screen, search page, or access your favorites directly from the home screen.
Scanning for New Content
Infuse will automatically scan for new content.
A scan takes place:
- When Infuse is is opened
- Every 15 minutes, if the app is left open
- Every hour in the background, if Background App Refresh is enabled in Apple TV Settings
A scan can also be triggered manually by tapping the 'Scan for Changes' option found in Settings > Library. An update can also be triggered by tapping the 'Last Update' text in the Library section (tvOS) or the refresh icon in the upper right corner of the home screen (iOS/macOS).
Refreshing Video Details
Updates for existing content which has been updated can be made by selecting the 'Refresh' option. On Apple TV, the Refresh option can be found on the details page, or by long-pressing on a video's icon or title. On iOS/macOS, the Refresh option is found by tapping the 3 dots on the video details card, or by swiping left on a title while in browsing in List View.
Plex & Play Version
With Plex, it's possible to have multiple copies of a movie grouped together under a single item. Infuse will display these items as a single item, and prompt you to select a version to play when playing a title for the first time. Infuse will remember your selection when playing the same title on the same device.
You can easily select a different version to by long-pressing on the Play button or the movie title in List View.
Using Trakt
It's possible to use Trakt to track progress for videos streamed from media servers.
When streaming, Infuse will send watched history and progress to both the media server and Trakt. However, since Infuse relies on the media server as a source to maintain what is and what isn't watched, watched history will not be synced from Trakt back to Infuse.
If you want to submit ratings or mark items as watched, we recommend doing this through the Infuse app so your changes are synced to both the media server and Trakt.
User Agents and Other Connection Details
Infuse can use various user agents depending on the connection type and feature being used. Learn more about connection details for Emby, Jellyfin, and Plex.
Troubleshooting
I get an error when attempting to connect
With some setups, it may be necessary to ensure the Remote Access feature is enabled on your Plex server.
I am not able to connect or am seeing an 'Indexing Failed' message
In some cases, it may be necessary to reconnect Infuse to the media server to ensure the security token is up to date. To do this, simply walk through the steps to connect to Plex, Emby, or Jellyfin found in the Infuse > Settings area. Removing the currently saved server connection is not usually required, but this can be done as a drastic measure if you are still seeing issues after reconnecting.
Files from Plex play fine on my local network, but do not play when streaming remotely
Currently Infuse will attempt to direct stream all content, whereas the Plex app may transcode videos to a smaller format.
In some cases to direct stream, you will need to adjust the bandwidth settings in Plex to be twice the bitrate of the video that is being streamed. This is needed since the bitrate of a video is listed as the average, and the actual bitrate may be higher or lower depending on the portion of the video being played.
A bit more info on the bandwidth settings available in Plex can be found here.
I am seeing an error about Plex Relay being active
Plex Relay is a service provided by Plex for remote streaming. It has a low bandwidth cap, so using it can lead to playback issues.
It's possible to avoid using this by disabling the service on your device, and more info on some ways to do this can be found here.
If you are streaming locally, Plex may be incorrectly routing traffic through its relay service (which is not necessary on a local network). In this case, you may try restarting your Plex server device.